Laterally movable door



March 8, 1966 J. D. BAILEY ETAL 3,238,571

LATERALLY MOVABLE DOOR Filed Dec. 23, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORSJOHN D BA/LEY ROBERT RBRA DHA M M EWWW ELL-.4.-

March 8, 1966 Filed Dec. 25, 1963 J. D. BAILEY ETAL 3,238,571

LATERALLY MOVABLE DOOR 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS JOHN 0. BA lLEY ROBERTR BRA DHA M March 8, 1966 J. D. BAILEY ETAL 3,238,571

LATERALLY MOVABLE DOOR Filed Dec. 23, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 E gTJ IINVENTORS JOH/VD. BAILEY ROBERT P. BRADHAM Q WM ,JZI WMW.

March 8, 1966 Filed Dec. 23, 1963 J. D. BAILEY ETAL LATERALLY MOVABLEDOOR 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

INVENTOR5 JOHN 0. BA lLE) ROBERT R. BRADHAM March 8, 1966 J. n. BAILEYETAL 3,238,571

LATERALLY MOVABLE DOOR Filed Dec. 25, 1963 6 Sheet5-Sheet 5 INVENTORS.JOHN D. BA/LE) ROBERT R. BRA DHAM March 8, 1966 J. D. BAILEY ETAL3,238,571

LATERALLY MOVABLE DOOR Filed Dec. 25, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORSND. BAILEY OBERTR BRADHAM United States Patent 3,238,571 LATERALLYMOVABLE DOOR John D. Bailey, Chicago, and Robert R. Bradham, CalumetCity, Ill., assignors to Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, 11]., acorporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 332,735 3 Claims.(CI. 20-23) The present invention relates to freight vehicle doors andmore particularly to a new and improved lock and operating arrangementfor freight vehicle doors of the type generally designated as plug doorswhich are laterally displaceable into and out of the vehicle dooropening and movable longitudinally along the side wall of the freightvehicle.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a plug door with anew and improved latch arrangement for restraining the plug door againstlateral displacement within the vehicle doorway.

It is a further object to provide a plug door having an operating meansfor laterally moving the door relative to the door opening with a slidebolt arrangement for locking the door within the doorway.

It is still a further object to provide a plug door having an operatingmeans for laterally moving the door relative to the door opening with aslide bolt arrangement for locking the door within the door opening andwith a latching arrangement which is common to both the lateral movementoperating means and the slide bolt arrangement.

It is another object to provide a vehicle door with a slide boltarrangement having a pair of horizontally disposed oppositely directedslide bolts, and having a common actuating mechanism for simultaneouslyactuating each of the pairs of the horizontally disposed slide bolts.

It is still another object to provide a vehicle door with a slide boltarrangement having a pair of horizontally disposed slide bolts and avertically disposed slide bolt and having a latching and actuating meanscommon to said horizontal and vertical slide bolts for substantiallysimultaneous actuation thereby.

It is yet another object to provide a plug door embodying vertical rodswhich are eccentrically supported on the upper and lower ends androtatably mounted on the car door with a slide bolt locking arrangementincluding a pair of horizontally disposed slide bolts and a verticallydisposed slide bolt, and with a latching mechanism which is common tothe rotatable rods and the slide bolt arrangement and which is operativeto substantially simultaneously release the slide bolt arrangement androta-table rods.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a side wall of arailway freight vehicle equipped with a plug door embodying the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational View of the lowerportion of the plug door showing in particular the slide bolt andoperating mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of the plugdoor showing in particular the latching and actuating mechanism of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the plug door taken generally alongthe lines 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the latching and actuating mechanismillustrated in FIG. 3 and showing some of the parts in cross section;

FIG.,6 is a side elevation view of the latching and actuating mechanismbut showing the components thereof in the release position;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the lines 7-7 ofFIG. 2;

3,238,571 Patented Mar. 8, 1966 FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional View takengenerally along the lines 88 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the lower portion ofthe plug door similar to FIG. 2 but showing a modified structureattaching the horizontal slide bolts to the vertical slide bolt forsimultaneous actuation therewith.

Referring now to the figures there is shown the side wall 10 of arailway box car of more or less standard construction including an anglesection side sill 11, a channel section sub-side sill 12, a Z-sectionside plate 13, and outside sheathing 14. The side wall 10 includes adoor opening 16 in which there is disposed a laterally displaceable andlongitudinally movable door 17.

The door 17, as shown in particular in FIGS. 1 and 4, is ofsubstantially rectangular contour sized to be disposed within the dooropening 16 and may include top, bottom and side channel framing members18. Fixed to the outer limbs 19 of the top, bottom and side channelmembers 18 is an outer metal facing plate 21. Along the top and bottomchannel members 18 there is fixed to the respective inner limbs 22thereof, Z-sectio-n channels 23. Sheathing 24 may be fixed to the insideof the door as by furring strips 26 which are suitably fixedly to theZ-frame members 23. A flexible sealing member 27 may be fixed along theinner limbs 28 of the Z-section channel members 23 to form a seal withthe door framing.

The door framing may be formed by a Z-section header which is fixed tthe side plate and extends between the side door posts (not shown) whichmay be similarly formed of a Z-section and secured at the top and bottomto the side sill 11 and the side plate 13. Extending between the doorposts is fixed to the side sill a Z-member which is arranged to providea threshold 31. The Z-section members forming the door posts, header 29and threshold are each arranged to provide longitudinally extendingvertical surfaces against which the flexible sealing member 27 isdepressed in the closed and locked position of the door.

Extending longitudinally along the side wall 10 of the car over and toeach side of the door opening 16 and fixed to the downwardly dependingleg 32 of the side plate 13 is a door supporting track member 33. Thedoor supporting track member 33 is of substantially C- shaped sectionincluding a lower horizontal limb 34 which serves as a track surface anda retainer lip 36 depending downwardly from the upper horizontal limb37.

Extending longitudinally along the side sill 12 below the door opening16 for substantially the same length as the upper track member is alower trackway member 38. In the form shown the lower trackway member 38includes a longitudinally extending bar 39 of substantially rectangularsection which is fastened to the vertical leg of the side sill as by aplurality of lengthwise spaced brackets 41.

Turnably supported on the front face sheet 21 of the door 17 arelengthwise spaced vertical operating rods 42. The operating rods orshafts 42 are each turnably journaled in respective guide straps 43fixed to the front of the door as shown particularly in FIGS. 4 and 7.At the upper ends each of the operating shafts 42 has fixed thereto oneend of a crankarm 44 of which the other end turnably receives a pivotpin 46. The pivot pin 46 is supported by the outwardly extending arm 47of a door guide shoe 48 which is slidably supported within the uppertrack member 33.

The vertical operating shafts at the lower ends thereof each have fixedthereto a lower crank arm 49 of which the outer end is formed with anopening 51 which receives a pivot pin 52 fixed to an arm 53 projectingfrom the housing 54 of door guide roller assemblies 56.

The door guide roller assemblies each include the housing 54 which maybe of substantially inverted U-shaped section. Rotatably supportedwithin the housing 54 are a pair of wheels which ride on the uppersurface of the rectangular bar 39. As shown, the vertical limbs of thehousing depend below the periphery of the wheels and loosely embrace thesides of the rectangular guide bar 39 so that the wheel assemblies 56are retained thereon.

Fixed-1y secured about each of the vertical operating rods 42, as shown,is a strap 59 between the clevis ends 61 of which there is fastened bymeans of a pivot pin 62 a vertically movable operating lever 63 forturning of the operating rods. Turning of the rods 42 causes the crankarms 44 and 49 to be pivoted about the pivot pins 46 and 52 carried bythe slide head members 48 and the wheel assemblies 56 so that the door17 is laterally displaced relative to the door opening 16 between aclosed position and an open position. In this connection it is to benoted that the upper and lower crank arms 44 and 49 are located so thatthe upper and lower edges of the door clear the same.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, and 6, in the locked and closed position of thedoor, the operating levers 63 are inclined slightly downwardly from thepivotal connection 59 on the operating rods 42 and the free ends thereofare retained captured within a latching and actuating mechanism 64. Thelatching and actuating mechanism 64 (FIGS. 2, 5 and 6) includesgenerally a mounting member 66, an actuating member 67 and a gravityactuated latch 68.

The mounting member 66 includes a base portion 69 which is suitablyfastened to the outer door facing as by bolts. Projecting outwardly fromthe base are laterally spaced vertical flanges 71-71 of which the upperends of each are formed with open ended cut-outs or slots 72 whichreceive the respective free ends 73 of the operating levers 63. Theupstanding or vertical flanges 71-71 are joined across their lower endsby a horizontal web 74 which defines with the flanges 71-71 and the baseportion 69 an open end substantially rectangular guide 76.

Fixed between the flanges 71-71 is a pivot stud 77 which turn'ablysupports the actuating member 67 for swinging movement in a plane normalto the side of the door 17. The member 67 includes a handle portion 78and a bifurcated lower end 79-79 which is turnably supported on thepivot stud 77. The intermediate portion 81 of the actuating member 67 isflared outwardly along each side thereof so as to overlie the terminalor free ends 73 of the operating levers 63. Depending inwardly from theupper ends of the flared portion 81 so as to be spaced above the upperends of the flanges 71-71 and overlying the operating lever receivingnotches 72 in the latched position is a retaining flange 82 having anopenend slot substantially in the center thereof and which is alignedwith the rectangular guiding groove 76 formed in the lower end of themounting member 66.

Projecting horizontally outwardly from the base 69 and through anopening 80 in the flared portion 81 of the member 67 is a latching ledge83 which terminates at the outer edge in an upstanding lip 84. Coactingwith the latching ledge 83 so as to prevent turning movement of member67 about the pivot 77 is the gravity actuated latch 68 which may begenerally triangularly shaped and which is pivotally attached at theapex thereof to the member 67 by a pin 86. In the latched position ofthe latch 68 the latch base 87, which may be formed with a horizontalweb, overlies the ledge 83 with an opening 88 coaxially aligned with anopening 89 formed in the ledge 83. A suitable seal (not shown) may beinserted through the openings 88 and 89 to hold the gravity latch 68fixed over the ledge 83 and thereby prevent turning of the member 67.

To turn the member 67 and release the operating levers 63 the seal isbroken and removed and the gravity latch 68 is then turned about thePivot pin to an upwardly in- 4 clined position resting against a stopprojection 91 formed on the handle 78. The member 67 is thus free to beturned about the pivot pin 77 The slide bolt arrangement 93 comprisesgenerally a vertical slide bolt 94 and a pair of oppositely directedhorizontal slide bolts 96 and 97. The vertical slide bolt may be madefrom a suitable bar stock and formed with an outwardly projecting lip 98which is abuttable against a lower guiding strap 99 and serves as astop. As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the slide bolt 94 is guided forvertical movement into and out of a restraining strap or keeper 101fixed to the side sill 12 by means of the guiding strap 99, an upperguiding strap 102 and the rectangular guide passage 76 of the mountingmember 66.

The horizontal slide bolts 96 and 97 may be similarly made from barstock and each of the ends adjacent the door sides are provided withheads 102 and 103 respectively which are movable into respective ones ofrestraining straps 104 and 106 fixed along the sides of the door. Guidestraps 107 fixed to the door 17 guide the slide bolts 96 and 97.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-8, the horizontal slide bolts96 and 97 are connected at their respective inner ends by means of a pin108 to an end of an arm 109 of an associated bell crank 110. Each of thebell cranks 110 is turnably supported on the side of the door 17 by apivot pin 111. The other ends of the arms 112 of each of the bell cranks110 overlap and are connected by a pivot pin common to both to the upperend of the vertical slide bolt 94. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in thelocked position of the vertical and horizontal slide bolts 94, 96 and 97the bell crank 110 is disposed such that arms 109 connected to thehorizontal slide bolts 96 and 97 are slightly inclined toward the sidesof the door and the arms 112 connected by the common pivot pin 113 tothe vertical slide bolt 94 lie slightly inclined downwardly from thehorizontal. Upon upward movement of the vertical slide bolt 94 to arelease position free of the restraining strap or keeper 101, the bellcranks 110 are simultaneously rocked about the pivot pins 111 so thatthe arms 109 move inwardly toward each other. This inward movement ofthe bell crank arms causes a corresponding movement of the horizontalslide bolts 96 and 97 such that they are displaced from the associatedrestraining straps 104 and 106.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9, simultaneous release andlocking of the vertical and horizontal slide bolts is accomplished by apin-slot arrangement. To this end the section 116 of the vertical slidebolt 94 between the upper guide strap 102 and the latch and actuatingmechanism 64 may be formed with an enlarged section to provideprojections 117-117 along the opposite sides thereof. Each of theprojections are formed with camming slots 118-118 which receive pivot orcam follower pins 119-119 fixed to the respective inner ends of thehorizontal slide bolts 96 and 97. The camming slots 118-118 areconstructed such that the horizontal slide bolts 96 and 97 are held inthe locked position when the vertical slide bolt 94a is similarlypositioned.

When the vertical slide bolt 94a is actuate-d upwardly the cam followerpins 119-119 on the respective ends of the slide bolts 96 and 97 aremoved inwardly from the upper vertical section of the slots 118-118 intothe inwardly inclined section 121-121 causing a corresponding inwardmovement of the slide bolts 96 and 97. Further upward movement of thevertical slide bolt 94a results in the cam pins seating within the lowervertical section 122 of the slot 118-118 in which position thehorizontal slide bolts 96 and 97 are retained in the release positionfree of the restraining straps 104 and 106. Downward movement of thevertical slide bolt 9412 results in a reversal of the movement of thehorizontal slide bolts 96 and 97 to the door locked position shown.

In accordance with the present invention, the slide bolt arrangementsillustrated in FIGS. 1 to 8 and FIG. 9 are each associated with thelatching mechanism for actuation thereby. To this end, as shownparticuarly in FIGS. 5 and 6, the length of the vertical slide bolt 94which is encompassed within the guide passage 76 of the mounting member66 is provided with a horizontal pin 124 which extends beyond thebifurcated legs 79 of the actuating member 67. The periphery of thebottom edge of each of the bifurcated legs 79 defines an idler surface126. The idler surfaces 126 each terminate at one end in a shoulder 127which serves to engage the pin 124 and move and retain the verticalslide bolt 94 downwardly into the restraining strap 101 when the handle78 is turned upwardly to its latch position. The other ends of the idlersurfaces are each formed with a second shoulder 128 which engages thepin 124 when the 'handle 78 is moved downwardly to lift the verticalslide bolt 94 out of the restraining strap 101.

As heretofore described, the movement of the vertical slide bolt 94 intoand out of locking position also causes a corresponding movement of thehorizontal slide bolts 96 and 97. Hence, the movement of the latchhandle 78 is employed to simultaneously release or latch each of thevertical and horizontal slide bolts.

When the actuating member 67 and the slide bolt 94 are in releasedposition the operating levers 63 may be removed from the notches 72 andthen turned outwardly from the door and toward the side edges thereof soas to rotate the turnable rods 42. Rotation of the turnable rods 42causes the crank arms 44 and 49 to be turned about the pivot pins 46 and52 so that the door 17 is laterally displaced out of the door opening16. The door 17 thus laterally displaced may be moved lengthwise alongthe tracks 33 and 39 to one side of the door opening 16.

What is claimed is:

1. A door operating mechanism for a door movable outwardly to an openposition from a closed position flush within a door opening and slidablelengthwise of said door opening when located outwardly of said dooropening, said door operating mechanism comprising a rotatable uprightshaft journal on said door, means on the ends of said upright shaft formoving said door outwardly of said opening upon rotation of said shaft,an operating lever connected at one end to said rotatable shaft forrotating said shaft, said operating lever being connected to saidrotatable shaft about a pivot normal to the longitudinal axis of saidrotatable shaft, a locking bolt, means guiding said locking bolt formovement in a vertical plane on said door between a locked and unlockedposition with respect to a keeper means mounted adjacent said dooropening, said guiding means including an open ended slot for receivingthe other end of said operating lever when said door is in said closedposition, an actuating member pivotally mounted on said guiding meansfor turning movement in a plane normal to said door from an uprightposition overlying said slot so as to retain said other end of saidoperating lever captured therein and to an unlatched position clear ofsaid slot, said actuating member including shoulder means engageablewith said locking bolt when said actuating member is turning from saidupright position so as to move said locking bolt out of engagement withsaid keeper means to an unlocked position.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said guiding meansincludes side flanges normal to said door and said open-ended slot isformed in said flanges, and wherein said actuating member includes ahorizontal retaining flange which overlies said open end of said slotwhen said actuating member is in said upright position.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said guiding meansincludes a horizontal latching ledge projecting outwardly from saiddoor, and wherein a gravity actuated latch is pivotally mounted on saidactuating member for movement in a plane parallel to said door, saidgravity actuated latch including a base overlying said horizontal ledgein the upright position of said actuating member to prevent turning ofthe latter in the upright position thereof.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1961 Beauchamp20-23 6/ 1964 Soddy 20-23

1. A DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM FOR A DOOR MOVABLE OUTWARDLY TO AN OPENPOSITION FROM A CLOSED POSITION FLUSH WITHIN A DOOR OPENING AND SLIDABLELENGTHWISE OF SAID DOOR OPENING WHEN LOCATED OUTWARDLY OF SAID DOOROPENING, SAID DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM COMPRISING A ROTATABLE UPRIGTHSHAFT JOURNAL ON SAID DOOR, MEANS ON THE ENDS OF SAID UPRIGHT SHAFT FORMOVING SAID DOOR OUTWARDLY OF SAID OPENING UPON ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT,AN OPERATING LEVER CONNECTED AT ONE END TO SAID ROTATABLE SHAFT FORROTATING SAID SHAFT, SAID OPERATING LEVER BEING CONNECTED TO SAIDRORATABLE SHAFT ABOUT A PIVOT NORMAL TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAIDROTATABLE SHAFT, A LOCKING BOLT, MEANS GUIDING SAID LOCKING BOLT FORMOVEMENT IN A VERTICAL PLANE ON SAID DOOR BETWEEN A LOCKED AND UNCLOCKEDPOSITION WITH RESPECT TO A KEEPER MEANS MOUNTED ADJACENT SAID DOOROPENING, SAID GUIDING MEANS INCLUDING AN OPEN ENDED SLOT FOR RECEIVINGTHE OTHER END OF SAID OPERATING LEVER WHEN SAID DOOR IS IN SAID CLOSEDPOSITION, AN ACTUATING MEMBER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID GUIDING MEANSFOR TURNING MOVEMENT IN A PLANE NORMAL TO SAID DOOR FROM AN UPRIGHTPOSITION OVERLYING SAID SLOT SO AS TO RETAIN SAID OTHER END OF SAIDOPERATING LEVER CAPTURED THEREIN AND TO AN UNLATCHED POSITION CLEAR OFSAID SLOT, SAID ACTUATING MEMBER INCLUDING SHOULDER MEANS ENGAGEABLEWITH SAID LOCKING BOLT WHEN SAID ACTUATING MEMBER IS TURNING FROM SAIDUPRIGHT POSITION SO AS TO MOVE SAID LOCKING BOLT OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITHSAID KEEPER MEANS TO AN UNLOCKED POSITION.